Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
King's is a big Russell Group university right in the middle of London, spread across five campuses: Strand and Waterloo by the Thames, Guy's at London Bridge, St Thomas' opposite Parliament, and Denmark Hill in south London. It's famous for health sciences, law and the humanities, and you're never far from a landmark.
The catch is the cost. London is the most expensive place in the UK to be a student. King's residences for 2026/27 mostly cost £200–£400 a week, though lower-income students can apply for rooms at £155–£169 a week through the King's Affordable Accommodation Scheme. You'll need a tight budget and good use of student travel discounts.
Known for
King's College London is 79th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 45.4, below the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 77 | Leeds Beckett University | 45.8 |
| 78 | University of South Wales | 45.6 |
| 79 | King's College London | 45.4 |
| 80 | Coventry University | 45.3 |
| 81 | Queen Margaret University | 44.9 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
16th of 124 · Inclusion Score 74.5
35th of 124 · Employability Score 36.7
36th of 124 · Innovation Score 61.4
41st of 124 · Sustainability Score 56.8
45th of 122 · Careers Score 34.7
49th of 124 · Nightlife Score 52.4
77th of 124 · Value Score 41.6
78th of 124 · Social Score 45.9
92nd of 124 · Balance Score 37.2
104th of 124 · Societies Score 39.9
104th of 124 · Safety Score 25.4
114th of 124 · Affordability Score 12.3
115th of 124 · Freshers Score 38.1
115th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 24.2
115th of 123 · Happiness Score 24.1
London as a student city
Ranked 72nd of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 32.
King's College London appears in 38 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 25th | of 97 | 159 |
| Nursing | 23rd | of 85 | 155 |
| Business and Management | 33rd | of 114 | 177 |
| Engineering (General) | 9th | of 30 | 85 |
| Criminology | 30th | of 94 | 159 |
| Film Production | 30th | of 87 | 156 |
| Psychology | 38th | of 108 | 155 |
| Biochemistry | 22nd | of 60 | 114 |
| Economics | 32nd | of 85 | 136 |
| Mathematics | 23rd | of 61 | 114 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Science | 36th | of 93 | 137 |
| Computer Science | 40th | of 102 | 153 |
| Sports Science | 31st | of 78 | 131 |
| Neuroscience | 11th | of 26 | 69 |
| Politics | 33rd | of 78 | 123 |
| Philosophy | 23rd | of 54 | 105 |
| Media and Communication | 34th | of 79 | 133 |
| Pharmacy | 14th | of 32 | 73 |
| Statistics | 12th | of 27 | 64 |
| History | 34th | of 76 | 120 |
| Sociology | 39th | of 86 | 137 |
| Music | 26th | of 56 | 101 |
| Linguistics | 13th | of 27 | 60 |
| Medicine | 15th | of 30 | 61 |
| Chemistry | 23rd | of 44 | 88 |
| Environmental Science | 25th | of 47 | 87 |
| Geography | 34th | of 63 | 110 |
| Physiotherapy | 27th | of 49 | 91 |
| Classics | 12th | of 20 | 56 |
| Biology | 32nd | of 51 | 75 |
| Physics | 30th | of 45 | 83 |
| Midwifery | 36th | of 54 | 63 |
| Pharmacology | 25th | of 37 | 51 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 49th | of 66 | 53 |
| Theology and Religious Studies 2026 table | 8th | of 10 | – |
| PPE | 25th | of 31 | 47 |
| Dentistry | 7th | of 8 | 24 |
| Finance 2026 table | 10th | of 10 | – |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
KCLSU runs hundreds of clubs and societies, sports teams and student media, with spaces across the campuses. Social life is spread out, so most people build it around their campus, hall and societies. London is the main event: free museums and galleries, theatre, gigs and every kind of nightlife. Health students at Guy's have their own strong traditions. King's is part of the University of London, which gives access to intercollegiate halls and Senate House.
University halls cost £155–£414 per week ('from' prices; £155–£169 rooms are only for students approved for the King's Affordable Accommodation Scheme; standard rooms from about £200) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
For 2026/27, King's guaranteed accommodation to new first-year undergraduates (and foundation students), care-experienced students and students under 18 on move-in day, where King's is the firm choice (conditional or unconditional) for a full-time course. You had to hold an active registration and complete your booking before midnight on 3 June 2026. The guarantee doesn't cover room preferences such as location or room type. A £450 pre-payment secures your room (not charged to KAAS-approved students).
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vega | Vauxhall, SW8 (1.17 miles from St Thomas') | shared bathroom (KAAS) | £169/wk | Listed from £169 a week, a KAAS room in a three-bed flat. The page's room table showed 2025/26 dates, so check 2026/27 rates. |
| Wolfson House | London Bridge (0.28 miles from Guy's Campus) | shared bathroom | £200/wk | Non-en-suite rooms in 14-bed flats at £200 a week on a 40-week contract (£8,000). KAAS rooms £155 a week for eligible students. |
| Great Dover Street | Borough (0.33 miles from Guy's Campus) | en-suite | £259/wk | First-year undergraduates only. En-suites £259 a week for 40 weeks (£10,360); KAAS en-suites £169. Some students may need to move rooms during 2026/27 for refurbishment. |
| Orchard Lisle and Iris Brook | Talbot Yard, SE1 (London Bridge) | rooms from | £263/wk | Listed 'from' price on the King's residences page. |
| Stamford Street Apartments | Waterloo, SE1 | rooms from | £309/wk | Close to the Waterloo and Strand campuses. |
| Atlas | Vauxhall, SW8 | rooms from | £330/wk | Listed 'from' price on the King's residences page. |
| Battersea | Battersea, SW8 | rooms from | £414/wk | The highest 'from' price on the residences page. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Central, well connected and a little cheaper than Borough or Waterloo, popular with students.
South London, close to Denmark Hill campus, with a lively food and nightlife scene.
Busy, diverse and on the Victoria line; handy for Denmark Hill and Waterloo.
Close to Guy's Campus and London Bridge, but pricey.
Top tip
Book early and before the guarantee deadline: for 2026/27 it was midnight on 3 June 2026, and you need an active registration (they lapse after two weeks without a booking). If your household income is lower, apply for the King's Affordable Accommodation Scheme, which offers rooms from £155 a week. Choose a residence near your main campus: some halls are 2+ miles away.
London is the most expensive place to be a student in the UK, and rent is the big one. King's standard rooms for 2026/27 start at around £200 a week for a shared-bathroom room and run past £400; a typical en-suite near Guy's is £259 a week, or £10,360 for 40 weeks. Lower-income students can apply for KAAS rooms at £155–£169. Budget for London transport too.
Getting around
King's campuses are spread across central and south London, so you'll use the Tube, buses, walking and cycling. A TfL bus journey costs £1.75 with pay as you go (daily cap £5.25), rising to £1.85 (cap £5.55) from 1 November 2026. Students can get an 18+ Student Oyster photocard for discounted Travelcards and bus passes. Many central halls are within walking distance of Guy's or Waterloo.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
King's College London is 79th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 45.4. Its strongest results are for inclusion (16th), employability (35th), innovation (36th).
Yes, for new full-time first-year undergraduates with King's as their firm choice who complete their booking before the deadline. For 2026/27 that was midnight on 3 June 2026. The guarantee doesn't cover a particular residence or room type.
For 2026/27, standard rooms start at about £200 a week (Wolfson House, shared bathroom) and many cost £260–£400 a week. A first-year en-suite at Great Dover Street is £259 a week for 40 weeks. You pay a £450 pre-payment to secure your room.
It's a scheme that offers cheaper rooms to eligible students, for example £155 a week at Wolfson House or £169 a week at Great Dover Street for 2026/27. KAAS-approved students don't pay the £450 pre-payment. Check the King's website for eligibility.
It depends on your course. King's has five campuses: Strand and Waterloo by the Thames, Guy's at London Bridge, St Thomas' opposite Parliament, and Denmark Hill in south London. Health subjects are mostly at Guy's, St Thomas', Waterloo and Denmark Hill.
By Tube, bus, foot and bike. A bus journey costs £1.75 on pay as you go (£1.85 from 1 November 2026), with a daily cap. An 18+ Student Oyster photocard gets you discounted Travelcards and bus passes.
Yes. King's was a founding college of the University of London in 1836. That gives students access to things like the intercollegiate halls and Senate House Library, alongside King's own facilities.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
